1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to warheads intended for destruction of targets using strategic precision. Specifically, this invention relates to missile warheads designed to control an explosive blast.
2. Description of the Related Technology
Missiles and warheads are used in a variety of demanding applications ranging from air to air and ground combat applications to structural demolition applications. Such applications often require missiles with warheads that can effectively and consistently penetrate and explode within hard targets with a great deal of accuracy.
A typical hard target missile includes an explosive warhead enclosed within a steel case.
A fuse serves to ignite the explosive warhead following target impact. When a warhead penetrates a target, the fuse detonates a booster charge or explosive lead, which in turn detonates the explosive fill in the warhead. The explosive fill may be comprised of many different chemical compositions, depending upon the desired effect of the warhead. Generally, the entire explosive fill is detonated and any other target that is not destroyed by the blast is left in tact. As a result, another missile must be sent to destroy any other remaining target.
Detonators contained within the housing of a warhead may be defined as a primary explosive or a secondary explosive. Primary explosives are generally contained within the fuse, while secondary explosives are located closer in proximity to the explosive fill and actually detonate the explosive fill. A primary explosive in the fuse initiates the detonator cord leading to a secondary explosive in the explosive fill. Examples of secondary explosives are boosters and explosive leads.
As warfare becomes more focused on isolating and destroying specific targets, while limiting the damage to any adjacent area, the need for weaponry arises that enables the military to eliminate targets with a great precision. Ideally, the military seeks to limit casualties in the civilian population, as well as, damage to non-military targets such as schools, hospitals and places of worship. To ensure this type of surgical precision, the location of the explosion must be controlled to some extent. Often, military targets are deeply embedded in bunkers or buildings. As a result, several missiles must be deployed and several layers must be destroyed before the target can be reached.
Hence, a need exists in the art for a safe and cost effective warhead, which possesses the capability to destroy several layers of armor or barriers, while limiting the possibility that undetonated explosive fill will undergo sympathetic detonation.
Sympathetic detonation is an explosive chain reaction that occurs when one device or round (often referred to as a xe2x80x9cdonor explosionxe2x80x9d) initiates a shock wave that results in the high-order detonation throughout adjacent explosives. Sympathetic detonation has been addressed in related technology. One method of mitigating the effect of the dynamic shock which causes sympathetic detonation uses ground or crushed compressible pumice as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,158,173 issued Oct. 27, 1992 to Halsey, et al. and assigned to The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy. U.S. Pat. No. 5,158,173 discloses a material for absorbing the dynamic shock of an explosion to prevent sympathetic detonation of adjacent explosives. The material comprises a filler material for damping an explosive shock.
The filler means is collapsible and capable of absorbing an explosive shock and is also nonflammable in an aggressive thermal environment. A binding means allows the filler to cast into a self-supporting shape. A relatively compressible volcanic material, that is, a pumice is provided with a binder of a casting plaster.
The serial output warhead of the present invention addresses the need in the art. The current invention was devised to provide a warhead or missile that may perforate numerous barriers and engage several layers of a target.
In the invention, a standard warhead casing is divided into compartments, which contain explosive fill. A shock-absorbing shield is located between adjoining compartments to mitigate the dynamic shock of an explosion that may cause sympathetic detonation. A shielded detonation cord runs from the fuse well through each compartment. A delay element is placed in each compartment to ensure that each compartment is detonated at the desired time.
One object of the present invention is to create a warhead that engage and destroy numerous layers of a target with precision.
Another object of the invention is to create a warhead that can produce explosions with extreme accuracy, which allows a reduction of collateral damage to objects adjacent to the target.
A still further object of the invention is to prevent sympathetic detonation of adjacent explosive fill within the warhead.
The invention addresses the need for a missile, which perforate numerous barriers and void configurations and deliver lethal energy to each void as it travels through the target. This allows use of the missile against a broader range of targets.